Baton



Nov. 12, 1957 D. A. HARROLD ET AL 2,312,583

BATON Filed March 1, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTORJS JAMES H. KEYSEQ f} DARWIN A.HAQROL.D

AT To 2 MEN 5 1957 D. A. HARROLD EIAL 2,812,683

' BATON Filed March 1, 1955 1 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTORS JAMES H. KEYSER DAQWIM A. HAQRQLD AT TOD-H EYS nited States Patent C BATON Darwin A. Harrold and James H. Keyser, Huntington, W. Va.

Application March 1, 1955, Serial No. 491,389

6 Claims. (Cl. 84-477) This invention relates to batons, and more particularly has reference to the type twirled by drum majors, drum majorettes, etc.

The twirling of a baton requires considerable practice and skill, and it is highly desirable that the twirler be able to spin the baton about various axes through a number of seemingly difficult, eye-appealing sequences.

in this connection, the most common movement of the baton is about a transverse axis disposed medially between the opposite ends thereof, and the main object of the present invention is to provide an improved baton having a handle means intermediate its ends, which handle means is swivelly connected to the shaft of the baton, thus to permit the shaft to be rotated at rapid speed about a transverse axis disposed medially between the opposite ends thereof, without the accompanying requirement of a high degree of skill on the part of the user.

Another object of importance is to provide a baton as stated wherein the means swivelly mounting the handle upon the shaft will be so designed as to impart a maximum degree of freedom of rotation to the shaft during its movement about its rotational axis.

Still another object is to provide handle means as stated which will be attractive, and will be capable of manufacture at relatively low cost.

Other objects and advantages will become apparent from a consideration of the following description and the appended claims in connection with the accompanying drawing wherein:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a baton formed in accordance with the present invention;

Figure 2 is an enlarged, detail sectional view on line 2--2 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a section on line 3-3 of Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a fragmentary perspective view of a modified form;

Figure 5 is a sectional view on line 55 of Figure 4;

Figure 6 is a perspective view of a second modification;

Figure 7 is an enlarged, fragmentary top plan view of the Figure 6 form, a portion being shown in section; and

Figure 8 is a sectional view on line 8-8 of Figure 7.

The reference numeral 10 designates the shaft of the baton, formed as an elongated, straight, tubular bar having at its ends rounded ball formations 12.

Medially between its ends, shaft 10 has an opening receiving a cylindrical roller housing 14. This is recessed for the major part of its length within the shaft, only a small portion of the housing projecting out of the shaft, the projecting portion being welded to the adjacent edge portion of the shaft opening.

An inner sleeve or race 16 is diposed within the outer sleeve 14, and rotatably mounted therebetween is a circumferential series of rollers 18.

Extending through the sleeve 16 is a handle means, said means including a stub-like arm 20, projecting axially of and within the housing and having at its inner end a head engaging against the sleeve 16 so as to hold the arm Ztl against axial movement.

The arm 20 is thus rotatably mounted within the housing 14, and the rollers, of course, constitute antifriction elements thus to increase the freedom of relative rotation as regards the shaft 10 and arm 20.

Formed in the outer end of the arm 20 is a diametrically extending opening receiving the opposite ends of a rectangular, transversely disposed loop handle 22, said loop handle 22 thus being pivotally connected to the arm 24 movement about an axis extending diametrically of said arm.

In use of the baton shown in Figures 13, one grasps the handle 22. Thereafter, the shaft 10 can be given a start in its rotational movement about the axis of the arm 20, and can be set to spinning at a high rate of speed about said axis. The ends of the shaft can be variously colored, or can even be illuminated, to impart an eyeappealing characteristic to the rotational movement of the shaft. The shaft can thus be twirled about a transverse axis at a great rate of speed, and it will be apparent that a high degree of skill and extensive practice is not required.

In the Figure 4 form, the shaft 10, medially between its ends, is extended through a split, arcuate clamp 24, that straddles the shaft and terminates at its opposite ends in closely spaced, parallel, transversely bowed, elongated ears 26. The ears 26 are oppositely bowed, and fixedly secured to the inner surface of said ears are correspondingly transversely curved segments 28. A handle means including a stub-like arm 30 has a flange 32 at its inner end engaging against the inner ends of the segments 28, when the cars 26 are drawn toward one another by a connecting screw 33. The cars are not drawn toward one another so tightly as to inhibit completely free rotation of the arm 30, but the ears are brought together to an extent sulficient to prevent movement of flange 32 axially of the ears 26 in a direction toward the outer ends thereof.

At its outer end, the arm 38 has a diametrically extending opening receiving the ends of a rectangular, loop handle 34, in the same manner as in the first form.

In the form of the invention shown in Figures 6-8, the shaft of the baton is composed of coaxial sections 36 each having a ball formation at its outer end. The sections 36 are welded at their inner ends to diametrically opposite portions of an outer, circular ball race 38 of L-shaped cross section, and complementing the outer ball race is an inner ball race 40 of a handle means also of L-shaped cross section, the cross sectional shapes of the races defining therebetween a circumferentially extending cavity for a series of ball elements 42. The races are thus freely rotatable relative to one another about an axis extending transversely of the baton medially between the opposite ends thereof. A ring 44 is engaged in a groove of the outer race and engages the adjacent face of the inner ring.

Extending diametrically of and fixedly secured at its opposite ends to the inner ball race 40 is a handle 46.

in the construction shown in Figures 6-8, the baton is still grasped by a handle that, when held stationary, permits rotation of the baton shaft about an axis extending transversely of said shaft medially between its opposite ends. The baton can thus be twirled at high speed with little or no training or practice on the part of the user. A highly amusing, and attractive device is thus provided, which is particularly appealing to smaller children who desire to twirl batons but due to their years find it difcult to master the twirling technique. The device may thus be properly considered as being primarily a toy, but of course, it can be made in any size for use by persons at any age level.

it will be noted that in all forms of the invention, there is a first annular means or member circumposed about the handle means and engaging the handle means against movement axially of said first annular means or member. There is also a second annular means or member carried by the shaft and engaging the first annular means against said axial movement. Thus, in Figures 1-3 the handle means 20, 22 is associated with a circumferential flange formed upon the inner end of sleeve 16. Said flange is thus circumposed about the handle means and constitutes an annular means which engages the head of the arm 28 against movement axially of said sleeve and flange. There is also a second annular means, in the form of the inwardly directed flange formed upon the roller housing 14, and this serves the function, through the medium of the rollers 18, of engaging the first annular means against said axial movement.

In the form of the invention shown in Figures 4 and 5, the first annular means is constituted by the confronting, semi-cylindrical segments 28. The second annular means is constituted by the semi-cylindrical, confronting ears 26, 26, which are made rigid with the segments to hold the same against axial movement. In the form of Figures 68, the first annular means is the inner race 40, which is made rigid with opposite ends of the handle means 46 to hold the handle means against movement axially of the inner race 40. The second annular means is defined by the outer race 38 and the ring 44, which cooperate to engage the first annular means against said axial movement.

It is believed apparent that the invention is not necessarily confined to the specific use or uses thereof described above, since it may be utilized for any purpose to which it may be suited. Nor is the invention to be necessarily limited to the specific construction illustrated and described, since such construction is only intended to be illustrative of the principles of operation and the means presently devised to carry out said principles, it being considered that the invention comprehends any minor change in construction that may be permitted within the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

l. A baton comprising a shaft; handle means swivelly connected to the shaft, for rotation of the shaft relative to the handle means about an axis extending transversely of the shaft; first annular means circumposed about said handle means and engaging the same against movement axially of the first annular means; and second annular means carried by the shaft and engaging the first annular means against said axial movement.

2. A baton including an elongated, straight shaft; handle means intermediate the opposite ends of said shaft; and means interposed between the handle and shaft mounting the shaft upon the handle for free rotational movement about a transverse axis extending diametrically of the handle intermediate the opposite ends thereof, said means including antifriction devices interposed between the handle and shaft, a first annular member circumposed about and engaging the handle against movement axially of the first annular member, and a second annular member carried by the shaft and engaging the first member against said axial movement.

3. A baton including an elongated shaft; an outer roller housing frictionally secured to and projecting laterally from the shaft intermediate the opposite ends thereof; an inner roller housing within the outer housing; rollers interposed between the respective housings for provid- 3 ing for free rotational movement of the housing relative to one another; handle means having a stub-like arm, said arm engaged in the inner roller housing against axial movement relative to the inner housing and projecting laterally from the shaft; a loop handle on the outer end of said handle means; and annular flanges rigid with the respective housings, the rollers extending between the flanges, whereby to hold the arm against axial movement relative to the outer roller housing.

4. A baton including an elongated shaft; an arcuate clamp straddling the midlength portion of said shaft and formed with spaced, partly cylindrical ears extending laterally from the shaft; segments each of semi-cylindrical cross section, said segments being fixedly secured to the inner surfaces of the respective ears and defining shouldcrs upon said ears; handle means having a stub-like arm, said arm interposed between the segments and including an annular flange at one end engaging against the segments so as to prevent axial movement of the arm in 7 one direction, said arm being freely rotatable between the ears; means for drawing the ears toward one another to a selected, adjusted extent, whereby to govern the freedom of rotation of said arm; and a handle on the arm.

5. A baton including a shaft composed of a pair of coaxial shaft sections; a circular outer ball race interposed between the sections, said sections be fixedly secured to diametrically opposite portions of s d race, the race lying in a plane common to the axis of the sections; an inner ball race concentric with the outer ball race and extending about the inner periphery of the outer ball race; antifriction elements interposed between the races, whereby to permit free rotation of the outer race; a ring engaged in the outer race and extending in engagement with the inner race to hold the inner race against movement in one direction axially of the ring; and shaft sections relative to the inner race; and a handle fixedly secured at its opposite ends to diametrically ops site portions of and extending within the space circumscribed by the inner ball race.

6. A baton including a shaft composed of a pair of coaxial shaft sections; a circular outer ball race interposed between the sections, said sections being fixedly secured to diametrically opposite portions of said race, the race lying in a plane common to the axis of the sections, said race being of approximately L-shaped cross section; an inner ball race concentric with the outer race and extending about the inner periphery of the outer race, the inner race being of L-shaped cross section and being disposed oppositely to the outer race when viewed in cross section, said races defining between them a circumferentially extending cavity for anti-friction elements, the outer race having an inwardly facing, circumferential groove; anti-friction elements interposed between the races in said cavity, whereby to permit free rotation of the outer race and shaft sections relative to the inner race, the oppositely L-shaped cross sectional shapes of the races holding the inner race against axial movement in one direction; a retaining ring engaged in said groove and bearing against the inner race in position to hold the inner race against axial movement in an opposite direction; and a handle fixedly secured at its opposite ends to diametrically opposite portions of and extending within the space circumscribed by the inner ball race.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

